Edward w



(No Model.)

E. W. (JREBOY.

HAIR PIN. No. 577,124. Patented-Feb. 23, 1897..

Edwwnlifflreeg NITE STATES EDW'ARD IV. CREECY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

HAIR-PIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,724, dated February 23, 1897. Application filed February 14,1894. Renewed August 31, 1896. $erial No. 604,464. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD WV. GREEOY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hair-Pins; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to toilet articles.

The object of the invention is to provide a hair-pin of such construction that danger of losing by dropping from the head will be obviated.

Further, the object of the invention is to provide a hair-pin of such construction that when placed in the hair it will be retained there by frictional contact with the hair by reason of a continuous pressure exerted by the hair-pin in and of itself.

Further, the object of the invention is to provide a hair-pin having as a part thereof a spring by which the pin will be forced into frictional contact with the hair and wherein guards will be provided for preventing the entanglement of the hair with the hair-pin at the point of juncture of the arms and the spring and at the same time free independent movement of the arms permitted.

With these objects in view the invention consists of a hair-pin of the novel construction hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is an illustration of a hair-pin constructed in accordance with my invention, the arms being shown as straight from the spring portion to the ends. Fig. 2 is an illustration of a hair-pin constructed in accordance with my invention, the arms being provided with a series of short bends, whereby withdrawing of the pin from the hair is rendered more difficult; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the pin, particularly showing the spring portion and the guards for preventing the entanglement of the hair with the spring portion.

In the drawings, A A represent the arms of the pin, which may be straight, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, or provided with a series of short bends a, as shown in Fig. 2. It is found in use that it is advantageous to provide the arms with the bends, as these form addi tional means of preventing dropping out of the pins. The pins are made of one piece of metal, and in order to cause the arms to di verge the wire between the arms is bent one or more times around a mandrel or former to form a spring 03, and then the arms are bent along the bent portion and then outward away from each other. 1

In order to prevent the entanglement of hair between the spring portion and the arms, I provide each arm with a guard B, consisting of plates bent around the arms and spring portion. Each of the plates is provided with an opening 19, through which one of the arms projects. The plates are bent around the spring portion and the arms, as shown in section and in side elevation in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The plates are of such a form that the free movements of the arms are permitted and at the same time the introduction of hair between the arms and the spring portion is prevented, thus avoiding entanglement.

In use the arms A A are pressed toward each other until they are about parallel, and then they are introduced into the hair to be secured. When placed in position, the spring portion of the pin exerts a pressure to separate the arms, and the latter are thus pressed outward against the hair and will be held in place by frictional contact.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A hair-pin consisting of a single piece of wire bent to form a convolution at its center and having its arms extending along the bent portion and thence diverging from each other, and two guard-pieces oppositely attached at the junction of the convolution and the arms, the said guards having their free ends extended inwardly and arranged to stand open from each other when the pin is in normal position, and to close together when the pin is compressed, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD W. OREEOY. 

